DBQ

Format:

The Long Essay question on the AP Exam consists of 1 essay format question. You will answer one of 3 prompts. You must also use evidence from your own knowledge. This section is 15% of the exam grade and is 40 minutes long.

Step-by-Step: (Disclaimer: Your teachers may have different recommended processes for answering questions, this is just what works for me)

Step 1 - Read the prompts and decide based on which topic you are the most confident in writing about.

Step 2 - Form a thesis that responds to the prompt FULLY. A good thesis should include a direct answer & establish of line of reasoning, with 2~3 reasons/topics that you are using to back up your claim. You can also attempt to set yourself up for the complexity point here through various ways (counterclaim, multiple cause & effect, connections across time periods/regions, etc.).

Step 3 - Start with writing 3-4 sentences of contextualization. Provide context on events and developments leading up to your topic. This section should contain specific information RELEVANT to your topic. 

Step 4 - Write your thesis.

Step 6 - Write 2-3 body paragraphs with the general structure of:

1. Topic Sentence about one of the reasons/topics you stated in your thesis

2. Evidence from your own prior knowledge (2 total required for evidence part of the rubric)

3. Explain your evidence if needed

4. Elaborate on how evidence supports topic sentence using historical reasoning ("This shows...", "This illustrates that...")

Step 7 - Write a concluding sentence to wrap up your LEQ. You can restate your thesis here to get the thesis point if your earlier one did not get the point.

Complexity Point:

The Complexity Point is easier to get in the LEQ than in the DBQ in my opinion, and I would recommend going for it unless you feel unprepared to do so. You can get this point through sophisticated argumentation, but the easiest way is to use 4 pieces of evidence rather than 2. 

Additional Tips:

• If you're unsure of exact dates or time periods, be more vague (ex. saying 19th century rather than 1820). It's better to be a little less specific than wrong, because this would make your argument not historically defensible. 

• Use historical thinking skills like Cause & Effect and Changes & Continuities to elaborate on your argument.

• Memorize the rubric so you know how much you need to write and what you're missing.

• If the prompt asks "To what extent...", then you have to clearly state HOW MUCH (greatly, slightly, significantly)!

Practice 

Heimler's Guide to LEQ